A drunk and cannabis-affected driver sped at up to 180kmh, ignoring pleas from passengers to stop driving before crashing near Gisborne and killing two of them, and seriously injuring another two.
Sandeep Kumar, 25, was jailed for 5-1/2 years in the High Court at Gisborne yesterday for the manslaughter of Emma Grace Green, 14, and Ajay Paul Singh, 23, and causing injury to sisters Toni Taylor, 14, and Sherylea Taylor, 19, and driving while drunk.
He was banned from driving for five years.
The crash occurred about 5km from Gisborne, on State Highway 2 near Makaraka, on August 7, 2009.
Justice Peter Woodhouse said he was bound to impose a sentence of imprisonment for "a number of years".
Kumar had been driving at speed around the streets of Gisborne. He had been drinking since the early evening and had smoked cannabis.
Three of his passengers pleaded with him to stop driving. There was also a suggestion that a non-drinker among them take over the wheel.
But Kumar appeared to get angry and drove faster, said Justice Woodhouse.
There were various estimates that Kumar was driving in excess of 100kmh, while one passenger said she looked at the speedometer and saw 180kmh.
Justice Woodhouse said one survivor had a broken femur and suffered psychologically and emotionally.
She felt less secure about getting into a car.
The other survivor had a dislocated right hip. Screws and a titanium plate were inserted into her body.
Justice Woodhouse said Kumar's record showed indifference to the law as far as his driving was concerned.
